Hey readers . . . wow it has been a long time. And I'm sorry for that. Here's a short chapter (nothing much to it) and others will be coming. I'll be starting school again soon, but will hopefully be able to continue this story. I have some ideas for it.
"Are we done yet?" Jack asked cautiously as Algaway shuffled through the papers in front of him.
"Hmmm . . . I do not believe that is an appropriate question for you to ask. Am I sensing some attitude Mr. Dawson?"
Jack hung his head, "No sir, I apologize."
"Excellent! And as a good honest man I accept your apology."
Jack's head was still lowered and his eyes focused on the blank floor underneath him. Minutes passed before Algaway said anything.
"I just have one more question Jack. What was your relationship with your parents like?"
Jack cringed at the question and though about what he would say. He hated the personal questions. "Let's just say it wasn't one I like to talk about."
"You do have an obligation to tell me everything Jack Dawson. So I expect you to start explaining."
"My mother was nineteen years old when I was born. I have no idea how they met, but soon after they did, they got married. My father simply wanted company and my mother needed the money and protection he could provide.
"When my mother got pregnant with me, my father never wanted me to be born, but my mother stood up for me. My parents' marriage faded rapidly and when I was sixteen, my father kicked me out. My mother left him shortly thereafter. She tried to find me and after two years, she finally did. We found a cheap place to stay at and I took care of her until I was twenty-one, which is when I moved out on my own.
"I ran into my father on only one occasion after he kicked me out of the house. It was at a bar and he happened to be drunk. Upon seeing me he started to yell at me. He blamed me for his broken marriage and he blamed me that she left him. He tried to kill me right then and there, but before he could pull the trigger, the bartender jumped him and knocked him to the ground. My father scrambled to get up, but I was already out the door. That was the last I ever saw of him . . . and of my mother for that matter."
Algaway paused to make sure Jack was finished. "Do you miss them?" he asked condescendingly.
Jack looked up from the floor he had been staring at and shot a hard look at Algaway. "Does it matter?"
"Jack I'm surprised you don't know me better by now. Every emotion felt, every detail is crucial to establishing a sound scientific discovery. I need to know Jack. Now tell me, do you miss your mother?"
Jack simply sat in his chair and glared at Algaway. Pictures of his mother and memories they had shared together rose up in his mind. He wanted to get out of Algaway's prying questions and be alone in his room to think. He didn't want to let Algaway in on another weakness of his. He didn't want Algaway to dig into his open wound; but he had no choice.
"Yes," Jack whimpered softly. He had to. As long as he and Algaway had the agreement he had to answer, it was his half of the deal.
"That is all Jack. This session is over." Algaway said it as though nothing he had just heard affected him in the least. He calmly rose from his desk, gathered his papers, and left the questioning room leaving Jack alone.
Jack had to remain in his seat for a few extra minutes while Algaway documented what emotions went through Jack's mind after the session. There were tubes and sensors attached all over Jack's body which Algaway used to monitor what Jack was feeling. Algaway wanted to know how his questions had affected Jack. Anger, sadness, hatred, dread, anguish.
After Jack's five minutes were up, Algaway's men came in to release him. They tore off the tubes and sensors and left the room, leaving Jack free to leave when he was ready.
Jack slowly arose from his chair. He hated Algaway. He hated him with every bone in his body. Algaway had coerced Jack into taking part in these awful sessions by threatening him with imprisonment. Jack wanted just to be free of this evil place. He wanted to leave. He wanted to get out of this prison and find Rose. He still had no idea where he was or why Algaway was doing all of this to him. He had thought long and hard about why he was where he was and the only reason he could come up with was because he was a survivor of the Titanic accident. But even that reason didn't totally satisfy his questions. Jack wanted answers and all he seemed to be doing was giving them to his captor.
He walked to his quarters slowly and without an escort. Algaway had started to trust him and give him certain privileges because Jack was behaving so well and keeping his end of the deal. It had been a week since Algaway had broken Jack. Algaway knew he had power over Jack, but he also realized that if he wanted Jack's true cooperation he had to start giving him little freedoms.
Jack opened the door to his room and flipped on the light switch. He had come to learn that that was how one turned on the lights in a room. He meandered over to his bed and flopped down, exhausted and tired. He just wanted to sleep. Today's session was over and now he could relax.
Every day for the past week, Algaway had been holding these five hour long questioning sessions with Jack. He had asked Jack every possible question he could think of. He asked about Jack's past, his family, his friends, his dreams, his fears, and about the Titanic. He even asked Jack about what it was like to "come back to life."
And because of the deal, Jack had to answer every single question. He had to bring back good memories and bad memories. Happy memories and sad memories. Memories of love and memories of hatred and abuse. He was Algaway's little puppet and he hated every minute of it. On the outside Algaway seemed like a smart, strong scientist only interested in the best for mankind. However, Jack knew otherwise. Jack knew Algaway's true side.
Every spare minute Jack had he worked on his escape plan. A plan to get out of the prison Algaway had made for him. He knew Algaway had plans for him, he just didn't know what they were. Jack also knew that he had to put his own plan into action before Algaway did. And he feared that day was approaching all too quickly, so he had to act soon.
Alright, well . . . I hope that was sufficient. I'll have a couple more chapters up soon. You know, I had pretty much kind of given up on this story, but then I checked my account one day and saw all reviews and all the people who said I should keep writing. You guys kind of inspired me to keep going I guess. Don't give up on me!
Later! ~SeaLioness